OPUNAKE NEWS

Taranaki Daily News, 3 January 1930, Page 13

OPUNAKE NEWS

7>EATH OF. MRS. RICHARD WATTS.

■ (From Our Own Crorespondent). The death of "Mrs. Mrs. Richard Watts about midnight on New Years Eve was unexpected. Deceased appeared to be making a good recovery from a- recent illness, and was beginning to move about again when death came suddenly at her mother’s residence, King Street, Opunake. Deceased was the eldest daughter of Mrs. and the late Mr R. Morris, well-known pioneer farmers on the Elthara road. She was foorn in Marton, and came with her parents to this district at the first land settlement near the Mangahume, Eltham Road, and helped her praents in successful farming. With her husband (Mr. Richard Watts) she secured land not far from the homestead, and continued dairy farming successfully. Durin" the last two years, and after the death of her father, Mrs. Watts lived with her mother in King Street. She leaves a husband and three children, the eldest being Mrs. T. Schneller (New Plymouth), and two boys, Richard and Robert, aged 14 and 12 years. Deceased was a kind-hearted woman, who had a large circle of friends and relatives in the district. THE HOLIDAYS. The Christmas and New Year holidays passed quietly. Christmas, from • a business standpoint, was good but New Year proved very quiet. The weather was very unseasonable, and visitors to the beach commenced the holiday season three weeks later than last year to fill up the accommodation for tourists. There was a good crowd at the Opunake beach on New Year’s Day but probably not as many as last year. The day was fine, but the threatening appearance of the elements in the eaily morning prevented families from stalling out on tho journey. The. holiday crowds at our beach comprise about 90 per cent, of visitors, «o that bad weather in the country is reflected in the attendance.

During the holidays Opunake was peaceful and sobriety reigned. The pictures did a good business. The Federal Band, under conductor J. Humphries, epent, the Christmas week evenings in visiting many farmsteads playing warols.

A SELF-RELIANT BAND. The band is to be complimented on the fact that they are providing from their own efforts all the necessary finance to carry on a successful and wellequipped band. They are not assisted by a subsidy or a public committee. It is all done off their own bat. The band is unique in this respect. They are a. very deserving institution. A good New Year to the Federal Band! GENERAL. The Aurba pipe band, under DrumMajor T. Bell and Pipe-Major D. McLeod, seranaded the main street on New Year’s Eve. They created much interest and stirred the latent Celtic blood. Opunakc appreciated the visit. The cabaret dance at the beach on New Year’s night was well attended. An enjoyable time was spent. Coburn’s leading seaside orchestra provided the dance music. Many farmers, owing to weather exigencies, have made ensilage instead of hay. Many crops cut before Christmas for hay arfc still laying out, and will not prove much better than straw stacks. PERSONAL. Advice has been received from Dunedin that Mr. W. J. Watt, of Opunake, has passed the medical intermediate examination in all subjects.